Juliet
I walked under a scorching sun for hours and well into the night, relieved by the cool air. The stars made it easier to navigate, and for a few days, I would try to sleep longer in the morning. As the last hour passed, my feet struggled to stay with me through the heavy tread of the sand. Struggling to catch my breath, I dropped to my knees and scooped sand out as fast as I could. Once my pit was large enough to shelter me from the elements, I hunkered down. After I realized how strong I could be, I wasn't so scared of raiders anymore or anything really. I took out a plate and checked a holographic chart of Mirach hovering in the air and, at the same time, pushed food into my mouth, thinking about how Louis was traveling without anyone knowing. We figured it out a while ago, and I quickly scanned Louis's log and all the places he had gone to; the last was France. Maybe he would wait for me there?
I couldn't help myself and sent Jessy a message, asking him to send me to France. I closed my eyes before I left and kept them shut, unable to look up, wishing the lights in the house would be on. I took a deep breath and slowly lifted my head. I jolted, taking hurried steps into the road. It was gone. It was all gone. It wasn't bombed or destroyed, but every single brick and window had vanished. I looked to the left; Charlene's house! My knees gave way. Even the pool was gone. Just an open piece of land where the beautiful garden used to be. I glanced down the road; every stone was pulled up, and the driveway was an unlevel mess of holes and grass. The shrubs were overgrown, and they were taking over. I sat there, with my head in my hands, sobbing for the longest time. I had not needed to cry in a very long time; it had been months and months.
I don't know what made me get up and walk around, trying to figure out if it was Louis or Soren and what it meant. Where the fire pit used to be, a little pile of rocks was stacked into a totem pole; it was small and barely reached my knees. I bent down and examined the thing but could see nothing—it was weird. Who built this? I dug in the loose dirt all around until my fingers felt little boxes. I knew what it was before I even dusted them off. I opened one. My first chain was placed carefully in the yellow felt. "Louis. You're making this very difficult." I dug some more and found the other two. The box that held my ring had a little note in it. I opened the paper. I laughed lightly; it was the note I had left Louis when Charlene and I went to find Ben. It felt like a hundred years ago. I dug some more, hoping there would be another box—anything. I did find a paper, a tiny little thing you could've missed, rolled up in the smallest of scrolls. I spread it out and read the words in Louis's handwriting.
{ Down my love and held nowhere }
I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed frustrated fingers over my brow. My uncle's words echoed in my mind, 'Louis wouldn't make it,' like for me, killing yourself was easy; sacrificing yourself for the one you loved. How could the man be so stupid? I looked up at the house I adored; it wasn't there anymore, and I felt like Louis was tearing down everything and buried us in the ground like a funeral. Louis was trying to tell me something; he didn't want me to come looking. I pushed it all into one of my cargo pants pockets and pulled up the zipper.
I traveled back to my hole in the sand and quickly dragged my tarp over me. The soft patter of drops hit the material around me for a minute; they gradually became loud thumps. Wind pockets picked up the tarp, and it flittered over my face. I hurried and frantically tried to construct a makeshift tent.
It was quiet for a moment, "Knock, Knock."
I lifted the flap, "Caleb!" I laughed, "You could've said, can't you see I'm struggling? And I would've had company. Come get in."
The boy wedged in beside me as we pushed bundles of sand over the edges of the material to make it stay in place. I scooted down and leaned back, resting my head on his shoulder, "Are you tired?"
"Nah, the little bit of walking we did today is nothing compared to what we did on Zoreah," I chuckled, "We could've teleported."
"Oh, it doesn't matter, I'm happy you're here… Keep your strength for the dark forest. Charlene says it is one straight line, and I want to do that as fast as possible," he put his arm around me, and I dosed off.
We woke up after a few hours, shifting around to get comfortable, unable to sleep like that any longer. It was another day of walking, "How will we know if we are going in the right direction?"
"I'm using their stars… By tonight, we will know if we have to adjust course a little… And we should come up on a water source—a mini oasis; it is the breaking point before the forest."
Caleb ran before I was even done speaking, diving into the water, "Oh, it feels so good."
I couldn't get my clothes off fast enough and joined him, falling into the pool, "Yes. This does feel good," I splashed him with water. Caleb submerged and pulled me in under. I sputtered to the surface, "Okay, truce!"
Caleb laughed and scrubbed his hair in the water to get all the sand out, "It does get in everywhere. I thought I was done with deserts. I liked it on En-gannim!"
"You did? Well, what about Earth?" Caleb nodded, "You want to go with me."
"Yeah, Earth was a good one." We waited till my underwear was all dried out and took our time eating and resting before we would go. I sent another message to Jessy and we came out in my room at the compound, "What are we looking for?"
I walked toward the koi pond, "A totem pole… of sorts. Rocks, maybe?"
"Okay..." Caleb glanced around the room. "I don't see anything.
He went into Marcus's room, and I tackled the bathroom. My ears pricked at a scuffling noise. I glanced around, "Whine. Yelp."
"Wow! De ja vu. If someone left a werewolf cub out here, I'm going to pitch a fit."
Caleb laughed, "What's De ja vu?"
"Whine, whine, whimper."
Caleb manifested, and I followed suit, and we waited. Again, the noise. "There, in the panic room."
"No! I don't want to see this," I turned around, heading for the door, and listened as Caleb swung open the steel barricade. "Don't tell me. Just kill it." Nails clicked on the cement floor, and a little scruffy dog twirled around my feet, running here and there. "What in the world? I thought it was busy dying. How did it survive?"
"Well, it is a mess in there, but it had water, and it ripped open all the supplies. It's been living the high life."
"Gigi! Gigi!" Caleb and I spun around to see a young Latina girl crossing the lawn towards us. The dog bolted down a straight line and jumped into her arms, licking her face, and couldn't sit still for a second. "Your back! Where have you been? I thought you were dead… I'm so sorry."
Caleb and I stepped out the door. The woman had not seen or heard us or had any perception of movement. Clueless. I cleared my throat. Frantically and oozing with fear, she spun, "Caleb!"
I looked at him and again at the woman. His face was a mess, his thoughts racing. Neither of them said a word, "Okay, is someone going to tell me what's going on."
"Mom, if I asked you to—not— kill someone. Would you do me that favor?"
"Sure," Caleb's head pivoted on his neck. I grunt/ snorted at his astonishment.
"This is Lyla."
I wasn't really surprised anymore… well, sometimes the emotion snuck up on me, but that day, I couldn't care less who appeared in front of us. I had other things to worry about, "Well, my son has just pardoned you from every life you've taken, which, by the way, is as high as my body count, so what do you say we call it even." She wasn't convinced.
"What about Louis's feed?" Caleb said.
I cringed and groaned, "You know, I am not feeling it today. I'm tired, and in the end, you did me a favor… The way it was forced upon me was not your doing. You were still with Carl back then… Soren tied me up and made me watch it."
Lyla's nose wrinkled, and she put the dog down, "Yeah, he's not all there anymore."
"Bat s— crazy!"
She nodded, "You guys being infected, I suppose, in a way, changed your physiology."
I released a heavy sigh, "In the end, I still blame it all on my parents."
Lyla laughed, "Carl was right… He said you had too much trauma to deal with."
"I believe in going around things rather than through."
She bobbed her head and looked down. The little dog was going nuts, spinning in a nonstop circle, moving the rotation to different areas on the lawn. "Is she always like this?"
"She was and then one time long ago in the matter of a second," Caleb and I looked at each other, concerned that Chris's mistake had something to do with Lyla, "She was like a completely different dog for months and months… until today. Guess I have my psycho back."
Caleb and I were still trying to figure it out, "Maybe because your paths crossed, the consequences are wiped out?"
"Caleb, you're a genius, so the timeline kinda reset itself?"
"I won't go that far, but maybe it will stop getting worse."
"I will take it," I turned to Lyla, "What are you doing here all alone? Where is your friend? Now… if I see her, she will have one second left to live."
"I'm waiting for her. We've been using the teleportation, so no one knows, but that ended a few days ago."
Caleb and I shared another look, "Dad is always right."
"How will she get back?"
"Drive. She had some kind of plan."
"Why are you telling me everything? I thought you wanted to destroy me?"
"No… just judged on the same standards."
"What a terrifying thought."
Lyla laughed, "I was furious about my sister. But after killing half the population, I can't be living in a glass house anymore."
"I am sorry about that. The men were not supposed to be there that night. Back then, they didn't really respect my boundaries very well… Thought I could be manipulated."
"Another terrifying thought."
Caleb and I laughed, "So you will just wait for Jacklin."
"I don't have a choice. Walking out into the desert—"
"No, don't get yourself killed. You're safer here."
"Yeah, I figured… Soren left a lot of stuff in those tunnels. Every room is packed with supplies of every kind."
I nodded my head, "Where Jacklin got the gas."
"Yeah."
"If you need another car, I could go get one," Caleb ventured.
"How?" I asked incredulously.
"Magic," Caleb did my jazz hands bit.
"Funny," I turned to Lyla, "So what do you want to do? We got to get going; I have somewhere I need to be."
"May I ask what you guys are doing here? Soren is in Europe."
"We're looking for a totem pole," Lyla pointed to where the fire used to be.
Caleb and I hurried over, "I don't remember this," he said.
"Dig."
We both did, and Caleb opened the little roll of paper, "What does it say," I asked nervously.
Lyla had taken the risk and stepped closer, "My love will mourn for me?! What does it mean?"
For that very reason, I was tired, too tired to care about Lyla or Jacklin, "I think Louis is going through a prolonged spell. It's been months, and he can't shake it. Rodrigo never meant for a man to do it… I'm scared he might get permanently trapped."
"Consequences."
My eyes jutted up at that word—I hated it. It wasn't even Louis's fault; he did it for me. Was it stupid? Yes. Was it necessary? I don't know? Without it, we would never have killed Qadir or gotten Ahasuerus to tap out. He would not want to have it taken away, either. I closed my eyes and lifted my chin, thinking and feeling the scorching sun of where it all started. I was going to be back there in a few days.
"I saw Louis when he did all this," I looked at her and waited, "He said if I touched it, he would kill me himself."
"Was Jacklin here?"
Lyla's gaze drifted as she nodded her head, "And?"
"He told her if she so much as moved, he would kill both of us."
"Come, Caleb. My charity is running out."
Caleb grabbed my arm and pushed me to my room, and Jessy traveled us out. "Why are you so jealous?"
"Jealousy is a good emotion—" Caleb gave me a side eye as he sat down on his tarp. "It tells you your relationships are under threat. And I just do whatever I can to protect it."
"Guess that's true, but I don't see the riphaths evolving in their feelings about love… they don't even know what the word means."
"Neither does a vampire know about empathy."
We slept under the little greenery the oasis had to offer and walked again as soon as we woke up. It was another grueling day before the forest came into view, and my idea of it was nothing compared to the size of it. The tree line began so abruptly, spanned out to our left and right, and stretched over our foreseeable future into the distance. The night air was cool and pleasant, and we had both paused at the top of the last dune to take it all in. "Oh, mom. Look."
I turned and gasped, "How beautiful. No wonder they fell in love… This must be where they kissed for the first time."
"Let's sleep out here for a few hours. I don't even know what time it is anymore," I agreed, and we placed down the tarps and made ourselves comfortable with a view we would never forget. It was true; the Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way were really what felt like only inches apart. I sent Jessy a message to save our location for so many reasons; my scientists were going to have a field day with this. It was also one of those places I would come to regularly—solely for the view.
We slept well that night, and I had to wake Caleb up. Charlene had said that even if it didn't look like it, their star did make a massive difference inside the forest compared to the still dark of night. Before we went in, I nervously looked at Caleb, whose eyes were unmoving and contemplating the eerie sight in front of us. At the apex, on the horizon, our way disappeared into a foggy, dusty mess, and the black-leaved canopy swallowed the path whole, "I don't know," Caleb said hesitantly. We took in the skeletal remains on either side of the tunneled narrow lane that couldn't decide if they wanted to grow up or down. Enormous columns of bark, erratically strewn, cut you off from anything further into the darkling mass… and even then, you were met with a wall of motionless blackness.
I laughed, trying to pretend to be calm, and tugged on his shirt. He manifested, and I jumped. He flung me easily onto his soft, furry back and took a few steps into the sudden deafly silence that engulfed us, "Romero said their parents made the trip with their kids… I'll protect you," Caleb giggled nervously. He planted his spear into the rough and packed earth, testing the surface; it wasn't sandy anymore. The first travel was jerky, and once Caleb landed, he whirled around to look back. We were entirely away from the desert and stars. I tried to listen for any sounds. The quiet consumed the path behind us and in front of us, waning, drifting into greys and blacks, "How did Charlene survive?"
I tapped him nervously on his shoulder. Caleb spun around and traveled again and again and again; his body strained with every landing and takeoff. Sweat was pouring down his brow where there was no fur. After it felt like we had made a hundred jumps because I was kinda counting, I tapped him on the shoulder. He let me slide off and came back to himself and dropped to his knees, panting, "You're worse than Marcus."
"A slave driver?" he nodded.
I handed him the water canister and poured out the other over his hair and head. Caleb manifested and shook it off, coming right back. I laughed; it was like having a giant puppy. I sent Jessy a message, and it was such a relief that he was always there. I knew it was him because I got pleading messages to let him join me every time. He sent back full canisters a second later, "He is such an asset, isn't he?" I smiled, forgetting that I once fleetingly thought he might be working against us, "Why not Jessy?"
"Why not Jessy—what do you mean?"
"You… have a propensity to cling to—"
"Oh… the good guys. Jessy is the best and, urgh, so handsome," I smirked and smiled, biting my lip. It wasn't like I had never thought about it or indulged in a fantasy or two.
"So? What is it?"
"He doesn't like me like that."
Caleb laughed, "So you have? Or would have."
"Oh, I would've gone there a long time ago… But no, Jessy is a lot like your father, I suppose," Caleb waited, "Loyal."
Caleb bobbed his head, "Selena."
I agreed and drew in a heavy sigh through my teeth, "She is more… than just the possibility of a wife… You should start focusing on facial features. Has Marcus given you the training?" Caleb shook his head. "Once we're back, you'll have more people to work with. Sit and observe; look at Jessy when he sees Selena. Really look at his eyes and his mouth and what his hands and body parts do."
"The way you look when Chris comes into a room."
I laughed, "What do you mean?"
"It's different with every one of them. When you see them and how you react or behave… if that's what you mean."
"It is… I am? Do tell."
"Let's travel first and make camp when we see the ending. I didn't want to say anything, but I heard a noise when we landed."
"Yes, I heard it too. Didn't want to freak you out."
"Your nails gave it away."
I laughed, "You ready."
He opened his arms, and I jumped. While in the air, he was ready and caught me, lifting me onto his back like a father would indulge a toddler. Caleb's head jerked to the right. My gaze followed, and my manifested ears prickled into the darkness. "It sounds huge." Caleb was gone and out of there in a second. He didn't stop for another hundred travels. I could feel he had pushed himself even more. I tapped him again and told him to stop, "We'll have to start walking."
"Why?"
"At about the ninetieth travel, I felt a change in the air. It wasn't so difficult to breathe," I pointed to the front. You could see a dim change in the colors on the horizon, and our hope of getting out of there alive was visible. Caleb dropped me, and we both listened for a while, hoping whatever was tracking us had not gone into a sprint after us. I handed him the water again. He drained it quickly and did the same with the last one, emptying it over his face and scrubbing in between drenches.
"I don't know why we're so afraid… both of us can disappear," Caleb said. We both went into peals of laughter.
We made a small camp when we reached the end of the forest of darkness. It was dusk, and neither of us wanted to jump over those obstacles in the moonlight. I sent Jessy a message and asked him to send us some food. I was cheating horribly, and Charlene let me know by sending me a seriously long note with our takeout. I read it out loud while we ate our dinner. Caleb enjoyed it as much as I did. After I finished reading it, I folded it and shoved it into my backpack, along with all the other things I needed to put in my memory box. Caleb took out his phone and played some music while we drank a beer, and each of us had a cigarette. We danced and laughed, waiting for the time to pass. "Where will we go tonight?" Caleb asked, spinning me out and reeling me back in.
"To the yacht."
Jessy sent Caleb and me to the harbor where Louis's yacht was anchored. Caleb teleported us onto the deck of Louis's boat, a little out in the water; it didn't even sway under our landing, "It's larger than I thought."
"I can't believe it's still here… Louis doesn't do things in modest terms."
We went to work to look around and found another little pile of large, smooth pebbles stacked on the bed. Caleb unrolled the paper. I was hoping the song would change and that the lyrics would mean something other than what I feared. "Oh, girl… I feel so high…" Caleb looked to me for interpretation. I had a massive smile on my mouth. "There, right there. That look in your eyes," I tucked some hair behind my ear and had all the feels I needed, "What does it mean?"
"Louis is feeling better… It's my favorite song and—"
"And?"
"That song was how he convinced me to sleep with him the first time."
"Like you needed any convincing!"
"I know… I gave him so many hints and opportunities, but still, it took him two weeks… Yes, two weeks to reach—"
"Begging."
I laughed, "Not begging… confidence, I guess."
"In what?"
"After everything we saw… Asking was a big problem for him. Initiating sex in an intimate relationship is different than seducing your way into someone's bed. And maybe he wasn't sure of my love for him… Our love. Does that make sense?"
"On Zoreah, the mating dance means even less. There is no seduction, no intimacy. It's all about if you both feel like it at the same moment." Caleb's tone sounded disappointed, "So yeah, I understand… Will he come home?"
"Do you want him to?" I knew Caleb had seen what happened on the compound.
Caleb shrugged, picking me up and teleporting us back to solid ground. The men were having a hard time with it. Caleb didn't speak again until we were settled around the fire, "Zoreah frowned upon having sex in public. It was rather a silent rule to keep it indoors. But walking in on someone was inevitable growing up there. Ira might seem aloof, but he had a few women over in the years after my thirteenth birthday." I smiled; I could only imagine—Ira was hot. I didn't know where Caleb would go with it, but I left him to talk in his own time, "Anyone can see when something is done out of love or the opposite… when it's… not."
My smile fell; the images of Louis's face in those moments he had pushed me into it came to mind. It was the same as it was with all the other women he had slept with—just carnal sex. Seeing everything and having it stored away to come back and bite you in the ass would be difficult for me when I saw him again. I didn't even know how I would react when we were in the same room. It would be hard on all of us because the footage was about all of us. On the other hand, I guessed when the guys thought about me, it wasn't all rose petals on white sheets or staring deep into each other's eyes to create actual intimacy. "The riphaths… don't make love… Sex is hard; love is even harder. Every species is different, and we're mixing the species, changing their habitat and lifestyle… And you have four husbands… so, I don't know."
Caleb fell asleep while we were still talking. I lay awake for some time thinking about Louis and keeping him quiet; I did it more and more, and he had to know I was coming. I smiled; the anticipation was worth all the trouble. What would happen? I was trying to figure out where I still needed to look for him. The thing about that forest was there were no leaves on the ground. The trees were suspended in time, and you wouldn't hear anything follow you unless you were manifested. I did just to check our surroundings. My head snapped around. I reached out to Caleb and made him disappear. It had no eyes, walking out from the tree line. It was as large as four big brown bears, with smooth grey skin and no fur; two long fangs protruded from its lips, and in between hung a big pointed snout. It was sniffing the air, trying to find us, walking around our campsite for a bit. I had by then taken out my tech to take pictures while I was invisible. I sent it to Charlene, "Yeah, I don't think you saw this when you were here." I couldn't sleep for the rest of the night. After a few hours, I woke Caleb up to get some shut-eye. He was more than willing to sit up and patrol after seeing the photos. Caleb gave me only two hours, and by that time, the sun was coming up on the horizon.
***
Charlene
I stood with my hands on my hips, scanning the many trunks on the floor filled with clothes, food, napkins, and diapers, "You can take that one, Shai."
Our village was now the way it was when I first got there after my branding. The tents that stood everywhere were gone; we had all pitched in the last four days to set up camp at our new home. The scenery was unspoiled once more, and even the teleporter station was removed. The only way to teleport to the village was in what I called the rec center.
Outside the window stood many of those horses of Mirach, saddled with things we would need. We were waiting for Michael; he was escorting Jade and Fahan. Then, the two of us were going to the city of Akl-hir, where Sara was queen or official or whatever; I didn't want to get involved in the governing of a whole planet. I would finally talk to the werewolves and see how they had acclimated, how many there were, and how they reacted to all the news I had to deliver. I was nervous. Ben and Francisco were there, and Miné was going with us. Juliet asked me specifically to look out for Jack and Francis. I wasn't naïve to think they knew nothing; I was sure the word had spread after the werewolves on Earth had joined the group from Palmyra. Jaali and Fia were in carriers at the door, and it looked like my packing was done. I closed the remaining crates, and Shai came in to take another one. Kubra picked up his son, and Romero took Fia. We greeted the parents and were off to the nearest ball station able to carry us in another direction.
Romero was vaulting onto a beast, and I turned to see Michael and the two dragons walking from the building in the distance. I was still nervous around the large aliens. Jade was quite friendly but Fahan was a giant of a man, with a chest so large he seemed to pop off his narrow waist. Chris stepped out from behind the group, and as I handed Fia to Romero, our eyes met. We had both hoped to avoid anyone who would put two and two together. Romero slowly lowered Fia into a sort of satchel hanging over his shoulder and chest. Kubra was next, and he did the same with Jaali. Chris had reached us and asked if we'd seen Caleb. I groaned, sighed, and showed him the plate we had to communicate with. If Caleb was with Juliet, they needed to know. "Do not use the tattoo!" Chris shoved it into my hand and turned around the way he came.
I headed for my horse and teleported on. Miné grabbed my leg hair, climbed up in no time, and seated herself in front of me. I gave her the rains and sat back—figuratively. Life there was so dull that I had to think up things all the time to stimulate her and just keep her busy. She liked taming and working with beasts, which was another sign she was meant to rule Palmyra.
I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked to my right. Kubra was holding out a piece of paper. I took it eagerly and unfolded it.
Kubra { What if Miné falls in love with Aries }
I giggled and folded it again. Kubra was so good with me; he did stuff like that all the time. He knew how I missed texting and technology, and in small ways, he made up for it. I glanced back to see Jade get on a beast. It was a different kind and larger to accommodate their size. Fahan handed Aries to Jade and we were off.
I felt another tap on my shoulder and looked to my left. Carl handed me a note, "Hey!" Kubra complained.
Miné and I giggled, "Why don't I get one?" Carl dug in his pocket and gave her one. She beamed.
Carl { I love you, Charlie }
I looked at him, and our eyes held for a moment. It was the first time he had said it. Our physical touch was the first thing that changed after he came back. Both of us made more intimate and small gestures throughout the day. Now, when we were on the same bed playing with the kids and lying in each other's arms, there was a tension between us. A thumb will caress my arm, and when he lets go of me, his hand will slowly glide over my skin. I felt every brush against my skin when we accidentally touched. We held hands when we felt like it. I was myself around him and rested my head on his shoulder when he was talking to someone. He will always open an arm for me, pull me close, and place his hand on my hair. A kiss on my head will soon follow. I've even caught him staring when I breastfed, which was never an issue, but not anymore. Since Juliet pointed out Carl had insecurities about his sexual status, I took a step back. All the decisions from there on out had to come from him. He had yet to kiss me, and I knew as soon as he did, things would escalate quickly. I will have to act like Romero to keep Carl from jumping me, or else he'll never become what I was. Selfishly, I wanted him to choose it.
Miné reached into a pocket and took out a pencil and a small notepad. She scribbled and handed the note to Carl. He laughed and ruffled her hair. I took the notepad and wrote back to Carl.
Me { ten paces at all times }
Carl took it and cocked an eyebrow.
He replied:
Carl { Can't keep your hands off me? }
Me {
I couldn't write anything, so I crumpled the paper up and tossed it at him. I kicked my beast and drove myself in between Kubra and Romero. Neither of them said a word. "That was mean, Mommy; now Carl is all alone."
Romero looked back at Carl and pulled back on his beast, falling in step behind us. I snapped at Kubra, "You have anything to say?"
Kubra leaned forward and looked back to see my face clearly. I didn't want to look at him. He waited, "We don't fight in front of the kids."
"No, Mommy, no fighting."
I huffed and crossed my arms on my chest.
"I think Charlene needs a break. Some alone time. She needs to relax in a hot bath with a book and a glass of wine and have no one around for a day or two. Have the kids looked after."
My arms fell immediately, and I made contact with Kubra. I nodded and felt like crying. I was so used to being on my own, figuring things out for myself and only Miné and me to consider. Even then, there were so many hands who helped me while I was studying. I've not done anything for myself in a long time.
"Will you like that, Mommy? I can help them with the babies."
I laughed and kissed her, "I will love it if you will help them…" I glanced at Kubra… "Maybe in the city."
"Your wish is my command! I will make it happen. I even have a backup book in my bag."
"No? You do?"
"I do. Before or after you manage planetary affairs?"
"Oh, please tell me you'll help. I have no idea what I'm doing." Kubra stretched out his hand, and I took it. He loved it when I asked him to help. He even made good on his promise to train me.
Michael pulled up next to us, "We won't leave your side, Charlene. We'll take it day by day. You're queen now and you can take as long as you want to make any decisions."
"That does help, thank you, Michael." He dug into his saddle bag and took out a gift. I stared at it, confused. He took out another one and handed both to Miné and me. She looked at me, her eyes twinkled, and we ripped off the wrappers. It was two obscure boxes. Miné giggled, and we opened them, "Whaa, Yes. I can't believe it."
Miné squealed, "Phones!"
"Music."
"Cartoons."
"Games," we said at the same time.
"Juliet says Happy Birthday, Charlene."
"I thought you all forgot."
"Juliet says she'll make up for not being here."
"Thanks, Michael."
"We all have gifts for you. We'll give it to you throughout the day," Kubra said.
"I even brought you something from our home planet," Jade said. I turned in my saddle and looked back at the four behind us.
"Look, she can't wait," Carl quipped.
"No! Best day ever… I don't want to know how she did it."
"She also says your parents are still doing fine and went to talk to them."
My head snapped up, "What? And?"
"They are hiding in Brazil. It seems Ian has not moved that far south, and South America is still fortifying, waiting for attacks."
"Did she ask them?"
"She did and told them everything."
"And?"
"Your mom doesn't want to rough it out here. She says she'll go to En-gannim, but that's all she can handle."
I had to laugh, "Thanks, Michael, for making sure they're safe. Where is Carl's mom?"
"She's somewhere on a boat in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Africa."
I had a pang of disappointment and grief. Carl and I had the same type of relationship with our parents. It was one area where we could relate. Liam and Cindy had been more parents to me than my own family.
The next four days were bliss as we traveled in the balls, slept outside under the stars, and finally reached the city. Sara had our accommodations allocated, and it was different being in a bustling metropolis for a change. I liked it the last time we were there, and being back felt like we were in Manhattan—well, kind of. Living in a palace and being dressed by a multitude of servants was not something I'd soon get used to. Sara had my whole wardrobe planned. It did feel strange not to share a room with any of the men. They were ancient English in that regard. Separate bedrooms and a communal sitting room for couples.
I decided to take my two days before the productions began and opened my book in the bath while a young woman poured in slow streams of warm water.